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Carnival of Lights
House of Lights -> Lord of Illusion -> Carnival of Lights -> Return of the Sky Castle -> Random series (introduction) -> Lord of Illusion 2 Chapter 1 -''' Schadenfreude The scene opens to a modern city at night with many people going about their normal lives, the sun having set a short while ago and leaving many to begin their journey home or to and from work. Yet amidst the coming and going of city life was a band of strange figures dressed in the style of multicolored jesters on stilts, they juggled with fire and played tricks as smaller figures resembling obese circus clowns tended to a large tent that had been set up in the middle of a city square: the inside of the tent filled with all manner of lights that sparkled like a thousand tiny stars. A large banner proclaimed in vivid text "Welcome to The Carnival of Lights!" and already a few curious crowds had gathered, some content with looking outside while others flocked into the tent itself - paying a small fee at an old-fashioned ticket booth nearby. Against a brick wall leaned the figure of an emaciated man with sunken eyes and long, unruly hair. He stared out over the carnival with no expression on his gaunt visage. A portal opened up nearby and out stepped a woman who appeared to be about his height- the strange thing about her was the fact that she had the horns and tail of a demon, but only one demonic wing- the other appearing to have been sliced off. Her appearance, however, went unnoticed by the crowds. "Deathwalker." the woman greeted. "Ruby." Deathwalker greeted back. The two stood there in silence for several minutes. As the two appear on the scene the crowds seem to slow down, the effect starting very subtle but soon becoming very noticable - a swirling mass of clouds appear above the couple before parting to reveal a beam of light, like a spotlight, shining down over them as a winged figure descends from the skies above. "Is that... an angel?" Ruby asks. "Looks slightly different..." Deathwalker said. As the light fades away the figure is revealed to be dressed in the manner of a medieval court-jester, his large wings still as white and radiant as any depiction of the divine - yet the twisted grin on his face is a mockery of such concepts, the figure casually leaning back as if resting against an invisible wall before he finally straightens up once his feet touch the ground. The clouds disappear almost instantly along with the light, the show seeming to come to an end as the figure hovers over to Ruby - taking her hand without even asking and attempting to kiss it, leaning down as he does an exaggerated bow "..my.. such beauty.. you must be full of surprises.. no?" he grins. Deathwalker's face flushes with a spark of irritation at the sight of the figure's gesture. "Um... might I ask who... and more importantly, what you are?" Ruby asks. The figure steps back and claps his hand excitedly as he replies "I am Pietus - the Lord of Illusion.. oh my.. look.. your wing.. it's all torn and useless.. how lovely!" he chuckles, it's quite a cutting chuckle as well - filled with very obvious malice. "You bastard..." Deathwalker snarls; having had enough of Pietus, he steps forward and throws a solid punch at him. Pietus frowns a little and as Deathwalker's fist swings towards him he opens a small portal that absorbs the punch, flicking a few fingers in a random order - causing several other portals to open up around Deathwalker: "you, my friend.. are rude.. not to mention impulsive.. now I suggest you think before you leap this time around.." Pietus states darkly. "Deathwalker... not here..." Ruby says. "Not unless there's trouble..." Deathwalker grumbles and steps back, keeping his hollow eyes on Pietus. Pietus sticks his tongue out at Deathwalker, grinning widely "..listen to the lady, friend.. I'm just a harmless jester doing his job.. now, are you two going to the Carnival or not?" - he motions towards the nearby Carnival, as he does so the crowds suddenly come back to life as the hustle and bustle of the city returns. The portals around Deathwalker vanish with audible pops as Pietus turns away, despite his appearance the crowds pass by with only a few occassional glances - many assuming he was one of the many elaborate entertainers from the show. Ruby rounds on Deathwalker. "What did you attack him for?! You dumbass!" she snarls. "He pissed me off." growls Deathwalker. "Do you WANT to cause a scene?" "I don't trust him. He seems... dangerous." "Look, just... keep an eye out then, but don't lose it so easily." "You're telling me." Deathwalker mutters, storming into the crowds. Ruby growls in frustration before setting off on a different route. Pietus makes his way into the Carnival, casually paying the entrance fee as he motioned towards Deathwalker and Ruby "..are you two children quite finished playing? come along.. I'm paying.." he says, his voice somehow reaching both with crystal clarity - he then enters the tent and spreads his wings out as he finds a place to sit down amidst the crowds. Deathwalker and Ruby, glaring at each other, manage to slip into the tent and find a place within the crowd nearby Pietus. "..ah.. I love the smell of humanity.. don't you? ..oh wait.. nevermind.. seems this tent was once a stable.. no matter.." Pietus says, chuckling to himself as he looks over at the lights - which sparkle like many tiny stars all around the group. Deathwalker and Ruby are both unable to find words in response to Pietus' musings. They merely kept him at least in the edge of their gazes, yet took care to avoid looking at each other, both irritated with each other. Pietus grins as he suddenly claps his hands together, leaping up and causing several people in the audience to jump - some yelling at him to sit down "..right! ..time to begin the show!". Suddenly Pietus vanishes in a blinding light and before anyone can truly react the tent begins to shake violently as a large vortex opens right in the middle - the crowds panic and begin to flee, some younger members being separated from their families and in danger of being trampled by the frenzied crowds as Pietus' voice chuckles from above: "..first thing's first.. a little crowd-control.. no? ..can't have these pesky little mortals spoiling our fun...". "Now?!" Deathwalker snarls, directing his exclaimation at Ruby. "Shut up." Ruby retorted, breathing a stream of flame into the vortex once she had a clear aim. As Ruby breathes fire into the vortex a small vortex opens next to Deathwalker, directing the flame towards him as Pietus finally reappears - floating in the centre of the tent as the vortex shatters with a shockwave that brings the tent falling down all around the group. Ruby and Deathwalker, the latter's clothes now caught on fire, tear through the tent. Pietus chuckles as he flaps his wings as he blows the rest of the tent away from the area to reveal the scorched ground beneath - clapping his hands excitedly "..oh joy! ..just as I thought! ..ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.. allow me to show you the true nature of this little event!". At first it isn't certain what Pietus is talking about but from high up it is crystal clear as a large glowing symbol resembling an infinity symbol appears on the ground - covering the entire length of what was once the tent. Chapter 2 - Unstable Affliction Deathwalker and Ruby both leap back, escaping the section of ground that was glowing. "What on-" Deathwalker begins to exclaim. Pietus floats over the symbol and grins as he explains, "..the Seal of Restoration - a powerful and extremely boring piece of magic no doubt brought to this world by the so-called Children of the Light for the purpose of healing this corrupted little world.. we can't have that now can we? I mean, really.. you can't have an apocalypse without a little screaming..". "Looks like the Trinity and Lucifer aren't the only ones with their eyes on this world..." Ruby thinks to herself, before breathing a jet of flames toward Pietus. Pietus shakes his head as he makes a few gestures with his fingers, the flames disappearing into small portals "..I appreciate the offer, really.. but I'm a non-smoker.. tell you what though: since you've both been such entertaining company I'm going to let you be the first to see my solution to this divine dillema..". "Don't want to hear it..." murmured Deathwalker, as he lifts his silver magnum to his hand and aims it at Pietus. Pietus chuckles and waves his finger at Deathwalker, "naughty naughty.. you don't want to start the party early - otherwise you won't stick around for the magic show.." - with that he spreads his wings out and plucks a single feather from one of those wings, dropping it on the glowing symbol: as the feather lands the symbol begins to shake violently as dark energy surges through it. As the shaking starts, Deathwalker fires at the feather and the symbol. Pietus looks shocked as Deathwalker fires at the symbol - becoming red as Deathwalker's gunfire destroys the feather and causes the symbol to warp further: "..oh my goodness.. look what you've done, you naughty boy.. here I was corrupting the Seal of Restoration so everyone could be happy like me and you went and added violence into the mix.. now humanity will be filled with rage and ruin.." Pietus looks sad, floating down and landing on the ground - the symbol no longe shaking as it glowed bright red and pulsated steadily: "..the world was going to be free of the Light and have the joys of utter anarchy.. now.. it seems they shall be slaves to war and hatred.." Pietus bows his head and sniffs slightly as he closes his eyes, as if mourning. "You're lying!" Ruby roared. "That can't be true..." Pietus looks up as the symbol suddenly shakes again - the ground cracking apart as a humanoid figure emerges from the symbol: around 10ft in height and resembling in many ways an angel with a burning sword, only it is featureless and colored pure red. "..well, been fun kids.. thanks for ruining everything.." he says, turning away and opening a portal as he begins to sulk away. "YOU-" Ruby bellows, before breathing a hellish blast of fire toward the red angel and Pietus. Ruby's blast of fire is soon absorbed by the red angel, which flies in front of Pietus - blocking the assault: causing Pietus to turn around suddenly with a look of mild surprise on his face. "..hello, what's this?" Pietus says, clearly not expecting this. The red angel slams its sword against the ground, forming a large shield of flame that forms a circle around itself and Pietus, facing Ruby and Deathwalker as it speaks in a voice like thunder: "The Servitor has awoken - what will you have of me, master?". Pietus' eyes light up and he claps slightly, gaining a new surge of energy as it suddenly dawns on him - "..oh my! it seems the corruption hasn't stopped the Servitor from obeying the command of he who summoned it - I must say.. this is a surprise.. however, it is a stroke of luck on my part..". Ruby flew into the air; her hands becoming like claws, she struck at Pietus, snarling with fury. Pietus grins as the Servitor once again blocked Ruby's attacks - shielding him from harm as it draws its flaming sword and spreads its wings: unleashing a wave of violent energy towards Ruby and Deathwalker, a psychic assault feeding on the anger and rage of the world around itself. "Oh.. wow.. this is too much.. the Light really messed up this time.. no matter... the Light Keepers will no doubt be rushing down from Paradise itself to destroy the Seal - we may as well have fun while we still can.. Servitor: I want you to convert the one-winged demon and her runt to the future Church of Pietus - along with the rest of this world.. at least as many as you can before the Light's "children" come and ruin the party" Pietus declares as he flies higher up into the sky. Chapter 3 - Prince of This World The servitor keeps its wings outstretched and engulfs itself in violent energy as it echoes out "It shall be as you command, master" "Like Hell it will be!" Deathwalker yelled, aiming for the Servitor and firing his magnum. Pietus smirks "..Hell? no, no.. nothing as drastic as that.. just a good old apocalyptic anarchy..". The servitor absorbs the gunfire into itself as it flaps its wings, unleashing a wave of energy at Deathwalker that collides like a solid force - the sound of sirens alerting both Deathwalker and Ruby to the inevitable arrival of emergency services, who pulled over and despite having little clue on what to do in such a situation had drawn their guns and begun to surround the area. The Servitor's attack slams into Deathwalker, throwing him through the air some distance and sending him skidding across the ground. Snarling slightly, he stood to his feet and opened a portal on the ground, from which rose a ruby sword with hellish engravings. Ruby however, had noticed the law enforcer's arrival. "Get back!" she shouted out. The servitor descends and raises its own fiery sword in the air, causing a pillar of flame to erupt from the sword and pierce the sky - forming a large swirling mass of red clouds to spread out across the area as the ground begins to shatter under the force of unnatural power: even Pietus claps his hands excitedly as he floats backwards, keeping a distance from the servitor. The emergency services don't have much time to listen to Ruby's warning as the force from the servitor's attack causes several vehicles that got too near to fly backwards, the emergency services leaping out of the way as several opened fire instinctively upon the servitor, the bullets deflecting off the divine being. Deathwalker started forward, ready to open a second portal only to back away, startled, as Ruby lifted an overturned car with her demonic strength and sent it sailing toward the Servitor. The swirling mass of energy soon erupts into unnatural lightning as a large gothic castle descends from the sky, the castle having numerous images engraved on it - as it descends one can see the images are Pietus himself: a particularly large statue sittings atop the tallest tower with its arms and wings outstretched as it praising the heavens. "Oh.. my.." Pietus grins, even he is surprised as the Servitor is hit by the car, the explosion covering the area before clearing, the being still standing in place as it speaks in a voice that echoes across the area. "The Church of Pietus.. as you commanded.. so it shall be..". "Deathwalker!" Ruby called out, noting the appearance of the dark castle. "What the hell do we do?!" "I've got no idea!" Deathwalker retorted, disappearing into a flaming portal, which reopened above the Servitor; Deathwalker plunged toward him, swinging his blade; "Take this!" The Servitor reacts to Deathwalker by attacking with its own flaming sword, each strike causing a shockwave of energy to erupt - the gothic castle remains hovering above the ground as Pietus watches for a moment, then grins as he disappears. In moments Pietus appears behind Ruby and blows a raspberry at her, giving her a crude gesture as he flies up towards the castle - "come and get me, loser!". Ruby spread her wing and took off, pursuing Pietus- it was apparent that she did not need both of her wings to fly. "I'll tear you to pieces!" she roared. Deathwalker barely noticed Ruby; he was too busy battling the Servitor. Pietus continues to fly up until he reaches the entrance of the castle, spreading his wings out as the entrance begins to open behind himself - grinning to Ruby "..alright, you got me.. or is it the other way around?". As this occurs the Servitor continues to attack Deathwalker, only to fall back as a portal of light opens nearby - five angelic figures dressed in glowing robes attack the Servitor, each figure from a different species: one is clearly human but the rest are alien in design, from worlds clearly not yet visited in the Multiverse. "Wha-" Deathwalker wondered aloud, using the distraction as an opportunity to leap back from the battle. "By the Light be cleansed!" one of the Light Keepers cries out as they unleash a beam of energy at the Servitor, only to be thrown back as the Servitor unleashes another shockwave of energy in turn - causing the Light Keepers to scatter in several directions. "We can't defeat the Servitor - we need to get to the Seal!" another Light Keeper yells out, getting to their feet and gesturing towards the area where the Seal of Restoration had been uncovered. Deathwalker ran into the fray, seeing an opening, and leaping into the air to strike with his blade, knowing that his attack would be blocked effortlessly; but, if he could distract the Servitor... The Servitor blocks Deathwalker's attack and focuses once more on him - the other Light Keepers heading towards their destination, save for the lone human - who flies over to Deathwalker and begins to strike at the Servitor as well. "You guys do what you have to do, I'll help the natives!" she calls out. "He's not a native - he is of the Infernal Realm.. no matter.. when this is over we will discuss further!" another Light Keeper replies. Deathwalker frowns as he hears this exchange between the Light-Keepers; nevertheless, he continues his attack on the Servitor. The Servitor continued to attack Deathwalker until it noticed the Light Keepers approaching the Seal, instantly the Servitor unleashed a massive shock-wave of energy that sent everyone soaring backwards: the entity leaping over to the Seal and summoning a pillar of fire that engulfed the area. "This is it! Don't give up! Attack" one of the Light Keepers yelled out as they recovered and flew towards the pillar of fire, only to bounce off it. "You alright?" the human Light Keeper asked, looking to Deathwalker as she thinks "..your friend, where is she?". "She-" Deathwalker began, looking around for a moment before it clicked with him. "She went after Pietus on her own..." "Then what are we waiting for? come on! I have an idea!" the human Light Keeper exclaimed, flying up towards the Gothic tower as the other Light Keepers continued in vain to try and break through the pillar of fire the Servitor had placed around the Seal and itself. Deathwalker stared for a moment before forming a flaming portal. He stepped through it, appearing at the tower just as the Keeper approached. As soon as Deathwalker approaches however it becomes apparent Pietus is expecting company - the doors to the Gothic tower fly open and a bright light emits from within - the Light Keeper flying up and gazing into the light: "..guess he's expecting us - hope this works! come on!". With that she flies into the light - the doors remaining wide open for Deathwalker to follow. Squintinng from the brightness, Deathwalker runs into the radiance. The light contnues to glow brightly as the pair enter the tower, the doors slamming shut behind them - the light finally disappearing to reveal Pietus sitting atop a throne, with Ruby in a large structure that parodies a bird-cage. "..you know, I've been thinking on things and I realize now how very lonely this is.. all the chaos in the world isn't going to change the fact that when this is all over I will once again be left alone.." Pietus says, surprisingly serious and looking rather depressed as he sat back on the throne. "Ruby!" Deathwalker called out, ignoring Pietus and running to her. Snarling in bestial rage, Ruby slashed at the bars on her cage to no avail; her form no longer bearing any semblance to a human, now feral and monstrous. Even when Deathwalker called out to her, she seemed to not even recognize his voice. "You know what Pietus? You're alone because you don't deserve any better! The Light loved you, perhaps more than any other.. yet you betrayed it.. like you do everyone.. you take what is beautiful and twist it into hate.. you'll never be happy because you don't understand what it is to care for anything save yourself!" the female Light Keeper said. Pietus frowned at this and suddenly flew from the throne, crashing into the Light Keeper and holding her by the neck as he lifted her up - causing her to struggle as his face went deadly calm as his eyes burned with anger: "..do you think I'm going to sit here and let some overpowered human speak to me like that? I may be alone but I am still in charge - at least until this Seal is broken.. so you'd better think on your words from now on..". Deathwalker skidded to a halt, caught between saving Ruby or the Light-Keeper; thinking only for a moment, he swung his blade towards Pietus, unleashing a trio of flaming tendrils that hurtled towards him. Pietus drops the Light Keeper as he shields himself with his wings, flying backwards as he creates a portal behind himself and momentarily disappears - "..I've had enough.. this isn't fun anymore.. no fun at all..". With that Ruby's cage opens and the room begins to shake violently as the entire towers begins to fall apart, sending large pieces of debris crashing to the ground below as multiple portals spread across the structure: tearing it apart. "Deathwalker...?" Ruby asked, slightly dazed as she began to revert back into her normal form. "What do we do now?" "Survive," Deathwalker retorted, trying to gain his balance as the fortress crumbled. "Oh please.. don't be so dramatic.. hold on.. we're getting out of here.." the female Light Keeper states as she appears next to Deathwalker and Ruby, having recovered amazingly well - she proceeds to form golden "bubbles" around the group and teleports them down to the ground as Pietus' fortress implodes in on itself. "Is he gone?" Deathwalker asked. "I don't think so.." the female Light Keeper began only to turn as a massive explosion alerts her of a more pressing matter at hand as the Servitor unleashes yet more power, the corrupted divine being still very much active - the band of Light Keepers that had fought it lay on the ground around it, not dead but certainly injured. "..oh crap! forget the clown - we got to stop his pet before it does any more damage!" she exclaims, flying forward and trying to attack the Servitor only for a pillar of flame to block her path once more. Chapter 4 - Averted Apocalypse As the female Light Keeper comes to a stop by the pillar of flame one of the other Light Keepers motions weakly, "..the Seal.. you have to break the Seal..". "I'm trying! I'm trying! this is nuts though.. how can we break this damn pillar!? we can't fight this thing if we can't even break its defence!" the female Light Keeper snaps. "..perhaps.. no.. it is blasphemy.. I couldn't.." the other Light Keeper begins. "What?! What is it!? look, for one moment forget about the stupid rules and tell me what we can do to stop this.. anything!" the female Light Keeper growls. "..use its master's power against it..." the other Light Keeper notes, motioning towards a broken piece of the former fortress, which had fallen to the ground. The female Light Keeper looks confused for a moment then figures it out "Deathwalker! Ruby! bring as much of that rubble as you can and hurl it at the pillar - this thing is programmed not to harm Pietus or his creations.. maybe.. just maybe.. there is enough of Pietus' corruption left in that rubble to break through this thing's defences!". "If you say so," Deathwalker retorted, pointing his blade towards some of the still-collapsing debris; a flaming cord extended from his sword, latching onto clusters of debris which he hurled towards the tower as if snapping a whip. Ruby resorted to using her brute strength as she lifted chunks of rubble as large as small boulders and tossed them with all of her might. The rubble hurls at the pillar of flame and shatters into black mist, which soon engulfs the flames as the ground shakes and the flame is put out - the Servitor flying out with a flaming sword as it attacks the group: "You will not break the Seal". Ruby leapt forward, recklessly taking hold of the flaming blade with her hands and trying to wrest it from the Servitor's grip. As soon as Ruby touches the flaming blade her mind and body is flooded with hatred, violence and other manifestations of the darkest qualities of humanity's free will - the power that Pietus worshipped and led to his fall, the same power which corrupted the Seal via the simple act of a misplaced gunfire - transforming it from an instrument of salvation to a tool of senseless war. Yet as Ruby grabs the blade it distracts the Servitor enough for the female Light Keeper to race to the Seal, calling Deathwalker over as the ground beneath her pulsates with red energy - forming a pattern not unlike the symbol for infinity: "..come on! strike the Seal! before it forms another shield!". Deathwalker tore towards the seal, raising his blade over his head to strike downward. "DIE!" Ruby roared, her hands becoming claws once more and slashing at the Servitor. The Servitor reacts to Ruby's claws by forming a massive shield of energy that starts to spread out, the Servitor becoming akin to a pillar of red fire as it echoes: "..you will not stop the Master's will.. APOCALYPSE..". Yet as the energy surge begins Deathwalker's blade gets near its mark, the Seal below sparking slightly as the female Light Keeper forms a blade of her own and yells out "sorry but the apocalypse is cancelled - by orders of the One True Light!". Deathwalker and the Light Keeper plunge their blades into the center of the Seal. The Servitor shudders as the Seal shatters upon impact, like plunging blades into a mirror - the symbol disappearing as the Servitor's energy surge also disappears as the being turns to dust before being blown away by the wind. A strange, unearthly silence hung in the air for a moment, then broken by Ruby: "Is it... done?" she asked. "Yes.. it's.. wha-!?" the female Light Keeper began, only to grow wide eyed as a beam of light suddenly strikes down, sliding across the entire area: as it passes over the other Light Keepers they fade. "Hang on guys, I'm sorry - the boss wants to talk, it seems.." the female Light Keeper tries to explain, the light passing over the group and temporarily blinding them.. Chapter 5 - King of Order When the light fades the group find themselves standing in a large chamber filled with glowing crystals - several armored angelic beings stand guard over a huge crystalline tree, which is hard to look directly at as it glows with the intensity of a small star. "Master, is this wise? we will startle them.." a figure asks quietly, facing away from the group - only to move quickly to one side as a voice responds from the tree. ''"..I will not keep them long.. I simply wish to see for myself the ones who have helped to stop the misdeeds of my fallen Child..". Deathwalker and Ruby squint towards the brilliant tree. "Who are you?" asked Deathwalker. '"..I am the Light - creator of Paradise and the King of Order.. the winged beings before you are my Children, sworn to uphold my Order.. the girl who stands with you is one of my Light Keepers - enforcers of my Divine Law.. yet even I am impressed by your bravery and strength.. though it saddens me that Pietus has grown so distant.." the voice replies as the tree continues to radiate bright light across the chamber. "So this Pietus was once one of you?" asked Ruby. "Sounds like a familiar story..." "..Pietus was one of my most loving sons.. yet a great darkness now lives within him.. you have done well, I thank you for your services to Order and will return you both to your rightful place amongst the mortals of Earth.. however before we part ways I shall impart upon you a revelation..". The female Light Keeper blinks, "..w-whoa.. what?". ".. A great darkness is rising.. this universe prepares itself for a great and terrible war.. I hereby bestow upon you this knowledge: when this war begins I shall call out to my People.. they will not suffer the pains of the war to come.. when that time comes I hope you shall join with them in accepting my sanctuary..". "The universe... at war?" asked Ruby. "..my wayward son is but one of many who have fell victim to the great chaos that threatens to engulf the universe - they grow more bold now, seeing themselves as gods.. yet they are like Icarus, with wings of wax.. heading closer to their imminent demise with each new height of depravity..". "We will fight the chaos," said Deathwalker. "Our penance has yet to be fulfilled, and if what you say is true; if such a war comes to pass, we will fight for our friends, and for all others." "Then it is done.. go back to your world and be ready - for the battle has been won yet the war is yet to come.." The Light states and the room begins to disappear in a blinding ray of light, the female Light Keeper nodding slightly to Deathwalker and Ruby - as if aware of what was happening.. Sure enough the room soon vanished and both Deathwalker and Ruby found themselves standing in a large open area, clearly back on Earth - the experience almost like awakening from a strange dream. "What do we even make of that?" asked Deathwalker. "We fight, we survive," said Ruby, "and when and if this war comes to pass, we'll be ready." Epilogue Meanwhile in the depths of space and time Pietus stood alone in a room filled with crystalline structures resembling those found in great cathedrals - yet twisted by the taint of chaos - the jester had a strangely empty look upon his face as he stood with his arms behind his back, his wings at rest as he looked at a stained glass image of a great and terrible battle - one one side were a legion of horrific demons and on the other were angelic beings. In the very centre of the stained-glass image was Pietus himself holding two wands and possessing a burning aura that spread over his entire body. "..that was pathetic.. to break down over something as trivial as being alone.. letting them humiliate you like that.. poor show, Pietus.. poor show indeed.." he thought to himself. "..fortunately, this was just a little test.. I got what I needed.." Pietus continued to think, looking over at a small piece of debris from the battle - which now floating in an ornate glass-case: slowly being carved by unseen hands into a wand. Pietus' gaze returned to the stained-glass image and a small smirk appeared on his face again "..now, for the second piece.." he thought, looking to the two wands in the image before him. -CONTINUED IN RETURN OF THE SKY CASTLE- Category:Story Category:Storyarcs Category:Supernatural Category:Pietus Category:Book III Category:Finished Stories